Liverpool to Newton Aycliffe

[TLJon]

Hello,

I'm looking to travel to Liverpool to Newton Aycliffe on the 31st August but I need to leave after 17.00. When I was trying to book I noticed that the last train I could get was at 14.22.

Is there another route I could take which would allow me to leave later?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Tetchytyke]

The last train from Darlington to Newton Aycliffe is at 1834, so no.

The only way you can leave that late is if you get the Arriva bus from Darlington.

 

[TLJon]

Thank you for the quick response, it's much appreciated

Also, I'm returning the next day from Newton Aycliffe around the same time. Would buying an off-peak return to Newton Aycliffe be okay (getting off at Darlington on the Sunday) or should I book the journeys separately?

Cheers!

 

[cuccir]

A Liverpool-Newton Aycliffe Off-Peak Return has validity code 8A which does not permit a Break of Journey. So, you'll need a separate ticket for Liverpool-Darlington return, and NA-Darlington.

Note that you'll want the 7 bus to Durham to get to Newton Aycliffe on a Sunday evening, which runs hourly at :15 past the hour from Tubwell Row in Darlington. The last one is at 23:15 and the bus stops are about 10-15 minutes walk from the station.

You can also obtain Advance tickets for Liverpool-Darlington on both days which are priced at £15-£21 each, but mean that you must travel on the booked train(s) and, for the Sunday, rail replacement buses!

 

[TLJon]

That's great, thanks a lot! You've both been really helpful, it's much appreciated

 

[DarloRich]

worst comes to the worst a cab wont cost you that much!

 

[gordonthemoron]

Surely you could break the journey at darlo as it's an overnight stop?

 

[DynamicSpirit]

Surely you could break the journey at darlo as it's an overnight stop?

That's what I was thinking. Surely, no one's going to object to the guy leaving the station at Darlington if there are physically no more trains to Newton Aycliffe that day? Seeing as the alternative is to keep him in the station all night...

 

[JohnB57]

A Liverpool-Newton Aycliffe Off-Peak Return has validity code 8A which does not permit a Break of Journey.

Am I right in saying that a break of journey is ok on the return leg? That's what your link indicates and what always used to be the case.

 

[SeanG]

Its fine to break at Darlo both ways.

Outward, as said above, its an overnight stop. legitimately you could get the first train the next morning (I think actually any train on the next day IIRC)

Going back, you can break your journey at any point.

In practice, the barriers at Darlo are likely to be open when you arrive however.

Don't know the situation, but replacement busses are mentioned above. IIRC the ticket should be valid via Sheffield. (Well NCL-BON ones are anyway so i presume its the same)

 

[cuccir]

They are valid via Sheffield, but the journey is still timed as taking slightly longer than the TransPennine Route (buses Huddersfield-Leeds) by about 10 minutes. More practically, the TPE trains are due in to Darlington at 20:40, 21:40, 22:40, which fits in fairly well the busses. Via Sheffield, the OP would be arriving in Darlington within 5 minutes of the bus from the town center leaving for Newton Aycliffe - effectively giving an hour wait, unless there's a lift available or a taxi (which as DarloRich points out wouldn't be too much - it's not very far really).

Overnight Break of Journey is permitted although the OP wouldn't actually be completing the journey, which I presume would (in a way that would never be detected) still be breaking the T&Cs of the ticket. Still - this would be something that you could do.

 

[yorkie]

Surely you could break the journey at darlo as it's an overnight stop?

Absolutely.

The question is whether, "by the book", the customer is compelled to arrange overnight accommodation and continue by rail the next day, or are free to travel by bus/taxi.

So, let's examine Condition 16:

you will be treated as breaking your journey if you leave a Train Company’s or Rail Service Company’s stations after you start your journey other than to:

(i) join a train at another station,or
(ii) stay in overnight accommodation when you cannot reasonably complete your journey within one day, or
(iii) follow any instructions given by a member of a Train Company’s or Rail Service Company’s staff​

​

So if you don't stay overnight 16(ii) does not apply, so you could be in trouble if anyone found out you got a bus. In theory.

One way to avoid this would be to rely on 16(iii), e.g. the conversation would probably go like this:

Passenger: I think I will miss the last train from Darlington to Newton Aycliffe, would it be OK if I caught a bus?
Guard: Yes, that would be fine.
​

The Guard would probably think you're bonkers for asking, but of course we can't suggest anyone breaks the rules, so my advice has to be to ask.

(Or you could ask TPE or Northern on Twitter!)